WTAM Local News

A coroner releases Ariel Castro's official death report

(Columbus) A coroner's final report confirms Cleveland kidnapper and rapist Ariel Castro died by hanging himself in his prison cell.

The report by Franklin County Coroner Jan Gorniak says Castro was unresponsive when prison guards found him the evening of Sept. 3 and that prison medical staff tried reviving him.

The report made available Monday says no drugs were found in Castro's system.

A preliminary coroner's report last month said the 53-year-old Castro hanged himself by attaching a sheet to a window hinge in his prison cell at the Correctional Reception Center outside Columbus.

Castro was serving a life sentence after pleading guilty to imprisoning three women in his Cleveland home for a decade and repeatedly raping and beating them. He was arrested after the women escaped May 6. Get breaking news sent to your mobile phone.Text "news" to 21095.